Kasumi's Story 1: Homecomings, Bonds and Sasuke Encounters dattebane!
by Priestess Kasumi Uzumaki
Summary: Konnichiwa. My name is Kasumi Uzumaki-Namikaze-Uchiha I'm 20 years old, 145 lbs., 5'9 with long purified white hair (that's naturally blonde) and whisker marks. I'm married to Sasuke Uchiha; identical twin to Naruto Uzumaki, mother of four, Priestess and amekage to well Amegakure, share hokage position with naruto and this is my story…
1. Chapter 1

****_**Disclaimer: *sarcasm* of course i own it. kishimoto just draws it for me...yeah,**__** right!...**_

**Konnichiwa. My name is Kasumi Uzumaki-Namikaze-Uchiha I'm 20 years old, 145 lbs., 5'9 with long purified white hair (that's naturally blonde) and whisker marks. I'm married to Sasuke Uchiha; identical twin to Naruto Uzumaki, mother of four, Priestess for hire to the shinobi world, and amekage to well Amegakure, share hokage position with naruto and this is my story…let me start from the beginning. It all started some years ago when I was looking for my twin brother Naruto Uzumaki….Let's start from there…**

"Well this is the area I heard them coming to…I wonder where he is…." I murmured to myself as I stopped in front of the shrine I had walked up to. A long morning of searching for him wound me up into the nearby woods along Tanzaku town. "What do you mean we have to leave!? The festival's tomorrow and I want to stay in town for it dattebayo!" As I hear the voice drift toward me I hear another shortly follow it. "Exactly that brat! We're going back to the village and that's final!" As I turn around to see the travelers who dare assault my senses while I'm on a search mission, what I see makes my brain scream in victory, my heart shatter with joy and most of my thinking shut down. 'Arigatou Kami-sama that didn't so long. Only three months!'

There in front of me is Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya-sensei walking my way. I pray my thanks to Kami-sama as I run toward my only living family and hug the life out of him for all I'm worth. "I finally get to see you after all these years naruto. How are you? How have you been? Has Jiraiya been treating you well?" I ask as I release him from the aforementioned death grip. But apparently, he was confused by the strange unknown white-haired, blue-eyed, whisker marks-on-her-cheeks stranger in priestess garb. "Who are you and how do you know my name?" he asked with guarded suspicion. At that moment I realized he didn't know who I was to him. So, I explained: "MY name is Kasumi Uzumaki, and I'm your sister naruto-chan ttebane." By then he had a look of disbelief on his face. "I have no sister. Now tell me; who the HELL you are ttebayo!" he spat as he took a defensive stance.

At this, I started begging and crying "Naruto, please, believe me I really am your sister. You've never met me but I am truly your sister!" as he looked at me my pride hurt, and crying, his gaze softened. "Look Kasumi-san, I'm sorry but you have the wrong person…I don't have a-" "Naruto! How dare you reject the only family that lives, breathes and thank the heavens, stands in front of you?" Naruto and I turned around to see Jiraiya yelling at him. "What the fuck are you talking about Pervy Sage?! I don't have any family!" At this Jiraiya looked back in time to see me flinch and look even more dejected and walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry no one told you kasumi, that naruto doesn't know about you." I turned away from naruto and sobbed. "It's okay sensei, but it still hurts to hear it from him." Naruto looking more confused more than he probably has, turned to face Jiraiya completely. "What the HELL are you talking about sensei?! How come I've never heard of this so-called sister?"

By this time, I was looking at Jiraiya. I nodded and he said, "You've never heard of her because it was not a good idea given your current position at the time. You would have ended blaming her for not being there for you or even rejecting her as family." At this naruto looked at the ground. "Onegai ttebayo," he said with new found interest. "Tell me what's going on, aneki." As those words reached me, I nodded, smiled, and started the story. "Well let's start at the beginning, naruto." He nodded approval and I continued. "Well, sixteen years ago, our mother-" "Wait! Kasumi-chan are you sure he's ready for this now? He might react to this badly and then what could we do? We don't want them to look dismal of his feelings, or that they didn't care about you two." I gave him a look of understanding and rough sympathy.

"I am telling him the TRUTH Jiraiya. Maybe if we're honest and speak the feelings and ideas of the truth and our parents PROPERLY he won't do that." I turned back to naruto, tied him to a tree trunk and started the story. "Well, sixteen years ago, our mother Kushina Uzumaki and our father Minato Namikaze, the fourth hokage gave their lives to save us from the kyuubi that had been extracted from our mother's sealed possession shortly after our birth. As we were on the sealing alter, the kyuubi tried to kill us by running us through with his claws after tou-chan had already given you half of the kyuubi's chakra but tou-chan and kaa-chan got in his way and were run though instead. So when they were run through, they were able to hold him in place and seal the rest of him inside me. Giving me the yin chakra and you the yang hoping we could later on control that power later on in life.

However, instead of living and growing up together, I was taken by Jiraiya-sensei to live and be trained by a priestess in the land of snow while you stayed behind in konoha. Up until recently I was in training to tame the yang or the darkest of kyuubi's chakra. However, as you see I've finished enough of my training to find you and return to the village." When I finished my story he was still silent. "I know the gaps in the story that only mom and dad can tell can't be told from me, but we can try to uncover them little by little together as a family now. But, later I will fill you in on the details that I've managed to piece together after I talk to Tsunade-sensei." He merely nodded his yes, still getting over the shock of what he had been told so, I decided to use that time for us to get to know each other (in a matter of speaking) by way of jutsu.

'Priestess style: dual memory review jutsu!' I called the jutsu forth with half a seal and read through his mind to see his memories in an instant as he saw mine. 'Hn. Your life was just like mine ttebane.' I thought to myself as the jutsu ended. Amazingly as if in response he said, "Yea. It's been rough not having you around nee-chan, and I still can't believe it but I'm just glad I'm not alone anymore." Not knowing what to think I just sat there thinking it over. **'Can he read my mind or something?**' **'I guess I can; us being twins and all'** slightly shocked but happy I smiled, got up and walked over to him. "Thank you for being so understanding about this." I crouched down to untie the ropes and helped him up and as soon as I untie the ropes he gives me a sudden hug and I end up on his lap as he knocks me off of his feet. "Don't worry about it ttebayo."

**'we even have similar verbal tics'** at that I looked at him with bitter sweet happiness. **'I inherited mom's version of it.'****'Mom's?' 'Yeah from what I was told, mom said dattebane too. Just like me.' ** "Well well, looks like someone's glad he met his sister instead of writing her off as a stranger!" as I got up I turned around to face Jiraiya who was just getting back from his walk he had taken while naruto and I were talking. "Whatever pervy-sage." We say together. When night fell we stayed at the temple to rest there for the night and it passed uneventful. In the morning we woke up and made our way into tanzaku town for breakfast and the hot springs at my insistence. Afterwards we started on the road towards konoha. After a while of walking in 'silence' jiraiya spoke up "You two are awfully quiet today. I thought you'd be louder naruto; and you too kasumi." He expressed with hints of concern.

But naruto and I just looked at each other and laughed. "It's nothing pervy-sage." Naruto assured him. "Yeah, we've just been talking using a little twin telepathy. It's actually pretty cool." At that he looked a little amused as if the telepathy thing wasn't a surprise given our nature. "Kasu-nee was talking about how she wanted to try some of the food around the village." At that I nodded my yes to jiraiya's questioning look. "Actually I wanted to try some of Ichiraku's shio ramen since I've heard so much about it from people who've been to the village." At that naruto looked at me eyes lit excitement. "Really?! I love ramen too. That's crazy weird!" I laughed a little. "Well, how about I treat you when we get there? I'll let you eat as much as you like!" he hugged he saying, "Thank you so much Kasumi nee-chan!" jiraiya looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you sure? The kid can eat ten bowls in one setting!"

I just gave him a controlled blank look to hide my annoyance. "For one, I can eat as many as ten in one setting myself, two, look out for the hole you're about to walk into and three, I have more than 100,000,000 ryo at my disposal. It's what happens when you haven't spent a penny in your life; so it's perfectly fine to treat him ttebane." He looked dumbfounded for a second before tripping up on the aforementioned hole then looked at me a little embarrassed laced with annoyance. "I wish you'd treat me with more respect, kasumi." I bowed in apology. "Gomenna, pervy-sage, for getting carried away. And naruto, I'll treat you when we get home, but I can't treat you every day okay?" jiraiya nodded in acceptance of my apology. "Yeah, I understand kasu-nee and I'm really grateful ttebayo." Naruto said smiling.

After that conversation we didn't talk for the rest of the afternoon. Instead, we just walked until we came up on a tea house about a day's travel from the village. as we walked In the tea house, the air greeted me tasting of tea leaves and dango sauce. We sat at the table close to the door and called the attention of the kind baa-chan who ran the shop and placed our order: two orders of sakura-vanilla dumplings with sakura sauce, and traditional dango and three green teas. After she brought our food naruto took a traditional dango and a cup of tea. "The tea here is lightly sweet and the sauce on the dango is very sweet, but has a good salt balance." He mumbled around the food. Picking up the sakura dango skewer sticks, I tried the first one and deemed it perfect. Next, the tea and that I thought, was better than I could ever make it. "Wow, this is crazy good. Best I've had yet ttebane!"

naruto nodded saying, "Yeah, this shop is my favorite." As we were finishing off the rest of the dango and tea, jiraiya spoke up to suggest our leave. "Well were almost there but resting isn't going to get us closer. Let's leave the money on the table and be on our way." While naruto mumbled reluctant agreement, I looked to the side and saw the noticeably frail baa-chan, walking towards a table to clean it, an unseen to her skewer on the floor. "Wait, I'm going to help her. She's in no condition to be left without me helping her first ttebane." As I finished speaking, she slipped on the skewer. Naruto moved to help but I was faster so thankfully I caught her before she fell. "Here, I'm a priestess let me help you baa-chan." I stood her up and turned her around, taking an herbal pill out from the pocket in my sleeve.

"Here, take this while I take care of your back." She nodded and I continued my work, bringing my medical chakra to my fingertips I worked my way down her spine repairing the years of fracture and strain caused by what seemed like war. As I finished up my work I was relieved to see the scowl of pain fading from her face. A few seconds pass and the scowl with the pain is gone. "There, your back should be like it was when you were sixteen…oh, and the money is on the table ttebane."

Though slightly surprised naruto and jiraiya looked at me with a smile and we left the tea shop. After finding camp, I made my way to a nearby stream and stood on the water. 'priestess mixed sage art: Diamond and Chakra Metal Recall!' I called the jutsu with a half seal and watched as the stream water split the nearby boulders and gathered the hidden diamonds and chakra metal from its pieces. I concentrated harder and the diamonds and metal formed a curved bow while spider silks gathered and formed the drawback string. When the bow and jutsu were finished i heard naruto. **'Wow….is that seriously a working bow?'** I smiled at that and laughed a little. **'Yeah, it is. Come here and I'll show you.'** Naruto stepped from behind the tree where he was hiding. "Ne, kasu-nee, why did you go off alone to make this?" I looked back at him and blinked slowly in slight surprise at the suspicion that laced his voice.

"Because naru, I'm used to being on my own. I'm sorry. Next time I'll take you with me so we can get supplies together while we're down here 'kay?" "Sure but, kasumi, I have a question that's been bugging me. How come you-" "Don't have blonde or red hair like mom or dad?" I finished for him and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, jiraiya-sensei just told me about mom before I left to find you." I smiled and laughed a little at that. "Well, my hair is white because during my training I purified myself so I could slay demons and help spirits. During my training, my hair turned white from the purification training. It's usually white but gradually turns black when I'm exposed to evil. But it's naturally blonde just like yours and dads. I keep it white because it shows how powerful I am." I explained as I let my hair turn it natural Namikaze blonde and naruto who watched me do so look on in amazement.

"Would you prefer it blonde naruto?" His suspicion was swept away by understanding. "No that's fine. I was just curious." "Well how about this: when I get to the village I will. And from then on, if I stay in the village, it will only be white when I'm on a mission." He nodded agreement and turned to walk towards camp. "Sure. That's not a bad idea. Now, let's get some sleep. We get back to the village tomorrow." When we got back to camp we went straight for our respective sleeping bags. **'Goodnight kasu-nee' **–cue smile- **'goodnight naru'** and with that we both fell out.

First chapter: up...second chapter:...w.i.p at the moment...may be going up later today as of 11/9/12...no flames please...i know the chapter is short and needs more transitionive detail, (yes i made a word, but hey it works) however, the next chapters will be better. constructive criticism onegai ttebane!


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of jiraiya waking up naruto and I. "Look you two, we're getting close to the village now so when we set out, no stopping; got it?" he explained in a surprisingly commanding tone. "Yeah, yeah we know." About midday we reached the massive village gates. "Whoa!" I managed to squeak out as naruto scooped me up and ran up the nearest light pole. "Ne, aneki it's good to be home isn't it?" he said happily with a tinge of bitter-sweetness. I looked up at him crying and smiling. "Of course ttebane!" I nodded as I wipe the tears away. "Look kasu-nee. They added tsunade baa-chan's face to the mountain." As I was about to answer, I was cut off by a loud voice below us. "Oi, naruto! When did you get back?" it was sakura who was talking.

"Just now actually." He said as we came down. "Naru, please put me down." I asked him. He nodded and put me down. And as soon as he put me down, I saw a kid run up with his friends. "Hey konohamaru! Long time no see ttebayo!" before he said anything else he (and me too) noticed sakura giving him an irritated and disgusted look. "What is it sakura-chan?" at that she looked even more upset. "I'd appreciate it if you would release that sexy jutsu henged clone ya know." "Oi, who in kami's name do you think you're talking about huh, usuratonkachi? I just so happen to be his sister dattebane!" I barked at her. "I'm sorry naruto; I'm sure she's nice but how do you love her with the way she talks to you?" sakura looked away for a moment shocked. "Did you say 'usuratonkachi'?" I turned away from naruto to look at her and when I saw her she had a longing look in her eyes.

"Yes dobe I did. Why?" after saying that she looked even more upset. "Look I'm sorry but I just found the only family I've got and hearing you say that didn't set well with me ttebane." "It's okay kasumi-nee she's just surprised you said those words. They remind her of sasuke." Naruto said, jumping in to help sakura. Jiraiya stepped in at this point "I'm sure that sakura meant no offense kasumi. After all, this is her first time seeing you. Before today she had no idea he has a twin sister; not to mention that he looks like you when he uses his sexy jutsu." Sakura walked up to me with a look of curiosity and caution in her eyes. "You were born here but didn't get to live here right?" I nodded my yes and she gave me a look of forgiveness and guarded suspicion. "Welcome home kasumi-chan."

At those words I closed the space between us and hugged her, catching her off guard, and murmuring 'arigatou, ttebane' to her. She hugged back lightly and said something akin to 'you're welcome.' "Gomen naruto." "It's fine sakura-chan. Let's go let tsunade baa-chan know we're back." We all nodded agreement and were off to her office in the hokage tower. When we arrived, we knocked on the door and entered the room to stand before tsunade. "Well if it isn't naruto. How you been gaki?" she said, eyes closed. But she opened them and sat frozen in shock staring at me. "Y-you're…" her voice trailed off and found itself again, calling shizune to the room. "Shizune get in here NOW! " she managed to yell as shizune came through the door a few milli seconds later. "What it lady tsuna- i-it's you kasumi-chan!"

she walked over to naruto and asked "Did she tell you who she is already?" naruto nodded very cautiously and moved around to take a protective stance around me. "Yeah, she's my sister, right?" he snapped his gaze from me and shizune to train his gaze on tsunade who got up and walked over and hugged naruto and I crying. "I'm glad I got see you both together again! Shizune! Clear the tower of unwanted personnel. I need to talk to my gaki about their uh, situation." Shizune nodded and left. A few moments later she returned. "We are free to speak now, milady." Baa-chan nodded, sighed, took a steadying breath and spoke "I know for a fact that you know who your parents are. Jiraiya told me while you were talking to sakura earlier today. And I wanted to set the record straight for you two. Now, keep in mind, I never knew until I saw you naruto, I thought you were gone."

Naruto and I looked at each other in curiosity and confusion. "I was- and am proudly- minato's (your father's) mother. He belonged to me and dan. When died was traumatized, but what set me over the edge officially, was when I was returning to the village after overcoming most of the grief from his death, was that I heard he had died along with your mother. When I learned this, I was hysterical and damn near broken and when I asked about y'all, they said you both had died and _THAT_ had destroyed me. Imagine my surprise when I meet kasumi when I'm travelling and naruto when you come to make me hokage. It was too much. But now, I know that I was wrong to ignore you both for so long; even when you were apart. I understand if you hate me, but please let me once be proud to truly call you my grand-kids. Please?"

As she finished naruto and I looked at her with disbelief. 'Naru, I don't know about you, but don't hate her. I say give her a chance ttebane.'He looked to me at this and smiled 'Why would I hate her? Of course she can have a chance. It's a no-brainer, ttebayo.' I nodded at that, smiling. "Why would we hate you baa-chan? You're here now, you're hokage and we're alive and we want you to be known as family. Nothing less." Tsunade lightly shook as she held us closer, still lightly crying. "Thank-you gaki. I love you both. So much…." She stepped back wiping away the tears, and walked to her desk. "Shizune here happens to be dan's niece. Ask her any questions about dan or your dad when he was a little gaki. And kushina too….anyway, that's for later! Shizune, go and prepare a room at the Uzumaki-Namikaze compound for kasumi-chan and naruto. It's time they took their rightful place in this village."

I immediately interrupted her with an argument of my own. "Baa-chan, I'd like to, if I don't change anything, stay at sasuke's old apartment." Naruto looked at me with surprise and bitter-sweet memory. "Look nee-chan, sasuke isn't here but that doesn't mean someone can just move in! it'll be waiting on him to return, nothing out of place." I gave him a look of rough sympathy and chose my next words carefully. "Naruto, I wish to know more about sasuke is all. If I stay there the rooms will tell me more about what he did, thought about, how he acted and so on." Understanding lit his face but he still shook his head, upset. "But, I guess I can learn that if I visit every day instead. I'll keep it clean so he'll have an actual apartment to come home to instead of a memory, okay?" At that note, he looked happy and sympathetic.

"Thank you for aneki. And as for your place to stay I think tsunade baa-chan wouldn't want us anywhere but our parent's house." As he said that, he and I looked to tsunade who nodded her head, giving a 'damn straight' look. "Shizune please accompany me around the village today. Naru, I'll see you and tsunade baa-chan at home later." Shizune followed me out as naruto said goodbye before the door shut. Before I could speak, shizune gave a hasty 'wait here lady kasumi' and ran toward the direction of the hokage's archives. A few moments later she returned with a scroll, and opened it reading the contents. "Kasumi-sama, your appearance in the village results in your priestess, sage and ninja training to be complete; So, as of today, your rank will be an S-class ANBU medic and your regular rank to be-" "what rank is naru-chan?" I interrupted her before she could rank me. "Genin, milady."

She gave me a curious look "For all intents and purposes, my (cover) rank is genin but I will actually be an S-class special jounin." She nodded her understanding and knew I didn't want naruto to feel alone. "And please call me kasumi, kasu, kasu-chan or kasumi-chan. Anything but kasumi-sama or lady kasumi." For the rest of the day shizune and I went shopping to get my headband –which I decided to get custom made- and a hold for arrows, and chakra metal arrows. After shopping, we went home and I got changed, tied my headband around my neck, put my shoes on and set out to pick up naruto after the match I heard he was having against kakashi-sensei. "Well, if it isn't kasumi-chan. You're just in time; the match just ended." Kakashi greeted me as he walked over. "Umm, aneki-" sakura then interrupted naruto with a "Wow kasumi your outfit looks just like naruto's!"

I looked at my outfit: (think my profile pic) the mainly orange jacket with black sleeves and red uzumaki swirls on each sleeve with the black collar, the orange short battle shorts looking like sakura's and a split black skirt (think orange black version of sakura's short sand skirt from shippuden), the orange cloth tied around my wrist, to the pure battle-grade orange silk cloth of my headband and black ninja sandals. "Huh. I didn't realize it when I bought it, I just thought it would look nice. Oh well, at least I know it works on two uzumaki and you can bet your ass kyuubi nii-san is laughing HIS ass off at my subconscious choice ttebane." I laughed as everyone –including naruto- compared our ridiculously similar clothes. "Well let's get going naru. I'm going to need help with eating the dango that I'm making ttebane! "Naruto gave me a sheepish look of apology and as he looked over to sakura.

"Gomen kasu-nee sakura and I are going on a date." I looked from him to sakura and saw her blush at the reference to their plans. "are you sure naruto?" after all kasumi, I'm sure, would love to spend time with you." I looked at her as she said that and heard her very much held back sadness at her words as if she didn't want to relinquish him to me let alone give up said date. "It's fine sakura-chan, just be nice to naru and everything will be just fine." I smile at her as my words cheer her up and naruto blushes at them. "Well, gave fun! I guess I'll go to the market and get something for dinner. Oh, and breakfast too." I waved goodbye as I ran to the market to buy two snow crabs, a lobster, and some ginger ale. Next to the store for flour, eggs, salt, sausage, dragon fruit and blueberry syrup.

I made my way to the compound, giving my chakra to the sealed gate to identify me as an inhabitant and not an impostor. The gate accepted my chakra, opened to allow me to pass. As I walked down the sakura tree path walkway to the house, I let my mind wander and walking becomes automatic as I do so. Pay attention to where you walk, kit.At the warning, I look up in time to see the door I'm about to walk right into and I stop myself from making contact with my face. 'Thanks Kyuu-nii' Hn. Just watch where you walk. 'Short much?' Gomen kit; I'm just tired.I laugh to myself a little at kyuu's words and open the front door to let myself in. I walk to the kitchen set the bags on the island counter and make my way upstairs to my room, passing naruto's. I flip the switch to let the room greet me.

From the black walls with pink cherry blossom tree branches with blossoms designs, black marble floor, large full size bed with its steel frame and metal Uzumaki clan symbol designs in the work on the wall in front of me, and black silk covers with blue uzumaki clan insignia and white sheets, the door on the left wall leading to the full bath, and the door to my right leading to naruto's. I walk forward and flop down on the bed and look to the closet door that's to my left beside the bathroom door. 'Well I can't lay here forever, I've got to get changed and cook dinner.' I argue to the side of me that didn't want to move. I got up, smoothed the cover down, and made my way to my closet. I opened the door, turned on the light and made my way to the shelf where I put mom's old early maternity dresses. (due to my chest being slightly bigger than tsunade's by four centimeters -110 not 106- and my ass not helping me any but at least being somewhat normal sized I'm forced to wear mom's old maternity night dresses or a kimono similar to tsunade's tops. –which I also wear-) and picked out a black silk dress mom had for when she was four months along.

'Lets' hope this one fits ttebane!' I half laugh to myself as I change from my new clothes to the dress. "Ow! That hurt like hell dattebane!" I practically scream as my lower back feels like it's on fire. I yank off the dress and run toward the mirror on the back of my bed room door. I turn around to look in the mirror and looked down at my lower back to see my uzumaki tribal-style chakra tattoo glowing an angry orange-red color. And the uzumaki clan symbol on my left side of my chest starting to glow and burn as well. "Help me! Ahhhh! Kyuubi-nii, naruto, someone!" I shouted mentally and out loud as the pain intensified. Kit! What is this strange chakra invading you?"I don't know, just get rid of it! Please! I feel like I'm on fire Kyuu-nii! Naruto! Help me!" as I cried out he came running through the door, and began to look me over and funnel some of his chakra through my tattoos to calm them down.

"Naruto? Thank kami you're here. Kyuubi-nii doesn't know what's wrong with me yet and it really hurts." I cried up to him as he moved to my clan tattoo on my chest. "Don't worry kasu-nee, I'm here. But why are these tattoos acting up?" I stopped crying and sighed. "Well, they're chakra tattoos, so they absorb mine and kyuubi-nii's chakra; mix it together with my purifying powers, sage chakra, goes through the tattoo's design and back to my body to supply an even and harmonic balance so we're not in danger of killing each other. But I guess someone must have tampered with my tattoos' balance. Which is dangerous; Kyuu-nii isn't happy that someone's made an attempt on my life and wants revenge for me." I sadly explained to him and blushed as I realized he hadn't moved since he started healing my chest tattoo. Realizing what I had, he blushed deeply and moved away after treating me.

"Umm, next time, please warn a guy or at least keep your clothes ON ttebayo!" he half raised his voice to a yell with stress on the word on as I shunshined to the closet and put the dress back on. "Gomenna ttebane! I took it off look at the tattoos in the mirror." He forced the blush down and walked over to the door going to his room. "Ne, nee-chan, are you sure it wasn't kyuubi? He might have tried to-" I flashed him my most stern glare. "Kyuubi-nii would never try to hurt me! He was there for me when my shishou beat me near to death, when my training almost killed me! When my best friend was killed by demons!" I cried painfully, defending him. Suddenly, some of kyuubi's chakra left me and manifested into a human about 6' tall with red hair whisker marks, fox ears with black earrings and red fur with white tips, and tails with red fur. And his clothes were a white shirt and black ninja pants and red eyes with slitted pupils.

"Why are you making my kit cry, you bitch? She's been through enough already without your help!" I walked over and hugged him with all I had. "It's fine kyuu-nii, naru doesn't know you're serious about looking after me like family. Please be nice to him nii-san." As I finish, naruto looks from me to kyuubi his look softens when he notices the look of concern and worry kyuubi is giving me and slightly smiles when he sees the protective stance he's giving. "So, that's really you, huh kyuubi? I didn't know that you were the red-head that looked after her in her memories when she let me see them. Thanks for that _nii-san_." He said and stressed the nii-san as it was an unfamiliar term for him to refer to kyuu-nii as. "Well, I'll ask tsunade baa-chan too look at them later, but for now, let's go make dinner huh? Just- don't kill each other. I want _everyone_ to see next sunrise ttebane."

Naruto and kyuubi looked at each other and laughed a little. "Anything for you, kit." Naruto nodded at that in mutual agreement. "Yeah, I think one night won't kill us. We'll talk about being friends when we know we can stand each other ttebayo. Now, let's get working on dinner." He called walking down the hall and the stairs with kyuubi and then me close behind. We made our way down to the kitchen and made dinner and plans for breakfast when tsunade baa-chan came home and ate with us. "So, the tattoos just started acting up tonight?" I nodded my yes. "Yeah, kyuu-nii and I were fine today except when they started acting up earlier. And lemme tell ya, it hurt like HELL dattebane!" and at that kyuubi added his opinion. "I agree with the kit. I haven't been in pain like that since the demon she slayed in shadow country when she was six."

Tsunade looked thoughtful for a moment and gave a look of concern and slight fear. "Well there isn't much I can do but I will monitor yours and kyuubi-san's chakra along with those tattoos. Now, let's get some rest gaki. Kyuubi-san, you can have the room next to kasumi's if you wish to stay here." He nodded his thanks and walked towards his room. "Let's go kasu-nee. We have work to do tomorrow." Naruto yawned as he made his way up stairs with behind. I made my up the stairs and to my room. 'Goodnight kasu-nee'naruto called and I smiled a little. 'Goodnight.'I called back as I climbed into bed, and five minutes later, I was asleep. However, I was terrorized by what I dreamt and finally woke up screaming to the third nightmare of the night with me screaming for naruto and kyuu-nii along with 'help me' till my throat was raw and passed out.

Seconds later naruto, kyuu-nii and tsunade baa-chan were in my room, with naruto and kyuu-nii trying to calm me down because I had fallen asleep again, was still screaming, and wouldn't wake up. As soon as my eyes flew open in fear, naruto was coaxing me back to reality with me still crying. "Thank kami-sama you're all okay!" I cried, sobs racking my tired and scared form as I hugged him and held on for dear life as I let kyuu-nii take me off of naruto and hug me, to lay me back on the bed. And tsunade baa-chan who had left the room, came back in, walked over and handed me an herbal sleeping pill and some water. "Don't worry about us gaki." Tsunade stated. "Yeah, it's you who needs to be worried about kasu-nee." Naruto demanded. "Kit, I should be thanking kami you're not hurt! But I wonder how you were able to have a nightmare. After all, I'm the one who blocks them every night they appear because they cause you physical pain due to the evil of this world that you stop purifying in your sleep when you have the nightmares. In fact, I made and placed a chakra seal that should have- that's it! The chakra disturbance was the seal breaking! Great, now I feel terrible."

'Wait, if kyuu-nii did that, it shouldn't have faded or burst. Someone did it on purpose.' 'Yeah, that doesn't sound right either. Either someone released the seal or you out to much strain on it. Then again we're talking about kyuu here so it wouldn't break that easy if at all.'I nodded at that logic. He was right more than likely someone had undone the seal. "Well, even if someone has undone the seal, we can't investigate now; it's best if we do so tomorrow or on one of our off days." I reasoned. At that everyone agreed and went back to bed except for naruto. "Yeah, sorry about waking you ttebane. It was just another nightmare; the third one tonight." He steadied his breath as he gathered his words. "You should have come to my room after the second one ane. Hell, I knew there was a reason why we didn't shut the door that leads to each other's rooms ttebayo. And, yeah, sorry about the uh, busting through the door when you didn't have clothes on. And for not noticing sooner when I healed you but you coulda chosen better spots for the tattoos so if either of us tells the story it wouldn't be weird ttebayo."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that but I thought it might have been the clothes or something. And, seriously, I'm glad you came in when you did. Otherwise, kyuu-nii and I would either be dead or injured. And as for the healing, we're family it's like taking care of yourself. You shouldn't be embarrassed. Of course that doesn't mean walk in when you feel like it or anything; just that if you happen to see me don't freak out because it's like looking in a mirror; Albeit a weird I-appear-to-be-a-girl mirror, but a mirror none the less. And sorry about my rambling on ttebane." He nodded showing agreement, stood up to stretch, and started walking towards to the door that leads to his room. "Wait!" I shouted and grabbed his wrist holding on for dear life. "Don't worry; I'm just going to get my pillow so I can sleep here.

I'm gonna make sure I can wake you up if you have any more nightmares ttebayo." He coaxed as I nodded and let go of his wrist to let him get his pillow. He was gone only for a few seconds and comes back to crawl into my huge over-indulgent luxury that is my bed. I tossed my pillow to the side, placed his and he draws back the blankets over himself and turns to face me. He pats my head in a 'goodnight' and drifts off after I do. In the morning, I wake up to a lightly snoring naruto and he wakes up seconds after I do. "Aww, look at the gaki and her identical brat. Kawaii!" we look over to see kyuubi and tsunade smiling down at us with expressions of mirth and endearment. "How nice to see naruto helping kasu-chan keep away the nightmares before the seal repairing." At that tsunade spoke up;

"Which will be taking place after your mission today. Come on you lazy pair of gaki, breakfast is downstairs." Naruto and I look at each other with a silent challenge and mutual agreement. "Last one down stairs-" I mused at him. "Buys the loser ramen-" he grinned mischievously at me. "For two months no bowl limit (ttebane/ttebayo)!" we finished in unison. "123go!" I said as we raced down stairs, barreling past tsunade baa-chan and kyuu-nii, dashing down the stairs hallway, and bursting into the living room and crashing into the dining room with –naruto- as the winner. "Yatta!" "Okay naru-chan a deal's a deal! Ramen on me, no bowl limit ttebane!" I chuckled the sentence at him as we sat down to eat. "Well, gaki, I regret to say, I can't join you this morning." Tsunade baa-chan called walking toward the door to leave.

"Aww, why not tsunade baa-chan?" we complained simultaneously. "Because, brats, I have to go to work! I'll make it up to you guys later!" she said heading out the door. After breakfast, kyuu-nii had gotten up and walked over to me. "Come on kit, let's fix that nightmare seal." he said making me follow him upstairs. "You too highlighter boy." ne called to naruto from the stairs' landing. "Don't call me that ttebayo!" he called back, following us up the stairs to my room and into it. "Why are we up here, kyuu-nii?" i inquired to him. "Because, kit, you need to be laying down for this. If you were standing, you would collapse to the floor." he gestured to the bed and I complied sheepishly. "Umm, kit the seal goes on your back, so you have to ditch your shirt." he said as I looked to naruto who was fighting an award blush.

"If that's the case kyuu, do i have to be here for this?" i looked to kyuubi who nodded affirmation. "I need you to hold her down in case she tries to struggle." he nodded solemnly walking to stand beside the bed as i ditched my shirt and laid down. "Right, let's get this over with." kyuu-nii sighed placing his hands on my back. "What's that?!" i looked to naruto and over my shoulder at kyuu who had gathered black chakra. "You act like you've never seen chakra. Now focus! She should start struggling soon!" he hissed as naruto recovered and went to restraining me again. Then it hit me like a tidal wave. Pain. "IIYA! ITAI TTEBANE! STOP! AHHHHH!" I cried as wave after wave hit me like a brick wall. "Don't worry kit, you're almost done!" I vaguely heard kyuu-nii's voice as another wave hit me. "KYUU-NII, NARUTO! MAKE IT STOP! AHHHHH!" I screamed at them as a sharp wave hit me.

"Kyuubi can't we do _something_ to ease her pain?" I heard naruto off in the distance. "No. but don't worry! one more wave and it's over, kasumi-kit!" he called the last part to me as the last wave hit. "IIYA!" I called as the pain subsided and caught my breath. "There, it's set, and this time it won't dissipate and can't be tampered with without delivering a powerful purifying shock to the 'enemy'." I nodded as I sat up and rolled my shoulders to shrug away the pain. "Put your shirt back on already ttebayo!" naruto called as my shirt was thrown to me. "Right. Thanks, naruto. Sorry if I worried you, ttebane."i said, pulling my new look-like-naruto's but stopped to look at my new seal on my back. I saw a tribal crescent moon with a cloud before it disappeared, fading into my skin. "Good now, let's go meet with sakura, naru." I called running down the stairs as he followed shortly after I left the room. "I'm going to run errands around town before i come back to you kit!" kyuu-nii called as I left.

"Have fun ttebane!" I called back before shutting the door to the house and leaving the compound going to meet sakura with naruto, then met kakashi on our way to the hokage tower. 'Naruto there's a sand messenger hawk coming in.'he looked at me curiously as we made our way to the hallway in the tower. "Man, it feels so good to be on a real mission again." Naruto said, anticipation lacing his voice. "Listen, whatever mission we're given just take it and don't complain about it." Sakura complained to him. "Maa maa _sakura_, I'm pretty sure he's mature enough to keep his thoughts to himself ttebane." I mused mirthfully at her, my barely there but sharp musing sneer at her ever-present for knocking him down. "Yea, sakura-chan don't sweat it those days are over." He said as kakashi looked worn out just thinking about it. "I hope so." He sighed at naruto.

"Out of the way, out of the way!" shouted the voice as the head of the level-one cipher core Tsuki Takahashi made her way toward and then through our group as we moved just in time to let her through without incident. 'Hmm. They've already called in the cipher core.' "Huh? What was that all about? Ne, kakashi-sen-" "WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU"RE GOING! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" naruto shouted over sakura as Tsuki rounded the corner. I cast a glance to kakashi who had looked after that direction that she had gone with thoughtfulness. 'Glad I'm not the only one that an tell there's something going on around here ttebane.' It would be weird if you were kit. Kyuubi retorted as we made our way into the office. "Good to see you're here." Tsunade baa-chan called to us as we entered the mission room. "Team Kakashi's mission is to escort and guard a caravan."

I immediately looked at naruto, who didn't look all too happy with that. "Huh?! Escort duty on a caravan?! Come on!" he complained to tsunade baa-chan who looked annoyed at the familiar whining naruto. What? Have you got a problem with that?" she asked in an irritated tone. "Since you're asking, yes; lousy C-ranked mission. It's beneath my dignity!" naruto said sounding just as annoyed with a little haught to his voice as I looked at sakura, kakashi-sensei, tsunade baa-chan, and shizune trying to keep my temper in check. But to no avail, our mother's famous temper shone through true and STRONG! "Have a little humility every once in a while Dattebane!" I yelled smacking the back of his head. "Owww! That hurt dattebayo! What'd you do that for aneki?" he whined as I gave him a look of annoyance all my own. "Because you needed it ttebane! Even kyuu-nii agrees with me!"

Kit, I don't want to be a part of this, true opinion or not you know!Kyuu-nii whined as naruto looked like he was about to chime in on our conversation. But before he could retort, the door opened and Tsuki came running to tsunade baa-chan with the message she ran to decipher earlier. "Lady Tsunade! Terrible news!" she relayed as she jogged to stand in front of the table. "Now what is it?" Tsuki looked up, panting from here 'hauling-ass-because-the-devil-is-behind-me' marathon here. "A level one dispatch from Suna." She panted as she caught her breath. "Huh? Suna?" naruto inquired. "Where is this dispatch?" tsunade questioned her as she waited for the information. "Right here; I deciphered it as quickly as I could." She explained, handing tsunade the sheet. 'What the hell is going on kasu-nee?'naruto asked me rubbing the back of his head from where I hit him.

'I think the gaara's in trouble. Let's listen and find out.' "No way." "It can't be!" shizune and iruka gasped as they read the message. "It's Gaara. It seems he's been taken by the Akatsuki." Tsunade relayed.

~line break thingy?~

"Kasumi!" I turned around to the sound of my name being called snapping out of the tracker trance I was in as I tracked naruto and the other's chakra. "What is it tsunade baa-chan?" I asked taking note of the troubled look on her face. "I need you to go on a little mission for me." She started calmly. "What's the mission? I know you could have called anyone but me, so that means it's personal, but you trust I can put those feelings aside easily if need be." I stated just as calm as her face turned from troubled to grimly sad. "I need you to investigate a sasuke sighting. There have been reports of him playing errand boy for Kabuto under orochimaru's orders, gathering ingredients for his 'medicine' to prepare for his transfer to sasuke's body."

I narrowed my eyes at her I thought. "That's a lot of information." I mused at her half-lost in thought. "Yeah; thank kami for drunken henchmen ne." I raised an eyebrow at her words. "They've been executed after refusing treatment for their 'experimentation results' and trying to escape. Now, back to the mission; Will you accept it?" she inquired, tilting her head slightly waiting for my answer. "Of course, tsunade baa-chan! This is a chance to bring sasuke home, so don't worry if I see him I'll be sure to bring him home!" she sighed lightly in bitter happiness. "Of course. Now, please get ready to leave immediately. "Hai!" I sounded off as I made my leave to collect thing for my mission.


	3. Chapter 3

Three days after I had set out I immediately started looking for the herb patches and nearby fields of flowers and caves too try and pick up a trail once more in search of sasuke. As I was mentally working out today's strategy, a messenger hawk landed in front of me. "Arigatou ttebane." I said as I took the message from her and opened the scroll. "Oh come on baa-chan, and damn it naruto you were supposed to stay home ttebane!" I complained out loud to myself. I took out a scroll and wrote my report of knowing about naruto's addition to my search for sasuke, and my expecting him soon. About twenty minutes of waiting, naruto showed up jumping down from the trees. "Nee-chan! I'm back from my mission in sand to help look for sasuke ttebayo!" he announced as he walked over to me. "I know baa-chan sent a hawk to let me know. So, let's get looking; but after I have a shower or something ttebane. I think there's a waterfall nearby."

I briefed as I walked toward the aforementioned waterfall. "But nee-chan we have to start looking now or sasuke will-"

"Naruto, we will find him, I promise. I can sense his chakra; he's in the area and if he's on the move I'll sense it. Trust me we can prepare ourselves for our encounter with him. It looks like he'll be coming towards that waterfall anyway and I'd like to take that 'shower' at the falls before he shows up ttebane!" I explained half-exasperatedly as I walked towards the falls. After we got there, I got the shampoo out of my bag, set the bag down and turned toward naruto. "Umm, naruto-chan, please go to the other side of the falls. The other set of falls there should do nicely if you want a bath or something ttebane." I called as I walked toward the water. "Yeah, just, let me know if you need anything ttebayo." He called back as he leapt over my waterfall to go to his waterfall. After he was gone and I sensed his presence at the other fall, I rid myself of my sandals and jacket followed by the rest of my outfit, hitai-ite and bow, and stepped under the waterfall, taking advantage of the cold fall, letting my hair down from the messy bun I had put the semi-straight semi-curly mess that is my hair in about an hour after setting out a few days ago.

'So, he's on the move eh?' I mentally noted as my senses detected sasuke moving away from his spot to the area I was in. 'Well, if mister I-think-I'm-badass thinks I'm moving to cover myself or take any special measures to his arrival, he has another thing coming ttebane! I haven't been working my ass off just to make accommodations for some usuratonkachi ttebane! And besides, naru and kyuu-nii are gonna be present for this, that's no doubt I should have,-' damn straight kit. 'So I'll try to hurry this up a little for that sake.' I mused as his chakra got closer. Turning around to face the clearing I stepped out from under the fall and started to tend to my hair, using a little shampoo I had brought to the falls from my backpack. As his chakra got closer, I turned around to put myself under the falls, rinsing the shampoo from my hair and the rest of me, seeing as it had also doubled as a body wash (thank kami ttebane). 'So he's here.' I took note as I turned around to see him land on the ground a little ways away.

Not ten seconds after he landed, I dodged a kunai or seven and turned my gaze on him, kyuubi style eyes and all. "Now now, it's not nice to throw kunai at a harmless priestess when she's bathing, pervert. It's common sense, ttebane!" I mock laughed as kyuu-nii manifested himself. 'Naruto, sasuke's here and kyuu-nii's already physically here and wants to kill him for throwing kunai at me ttebane!'I called as sasuke took a more defensive position, eyeing me curiously. 'I'm on my way ttebayo.'"Now, who might you be? You look like an old teammate of mine, naruto. Never mind, you'll be dead so it doesn't and won't matter." He bit out slightly impatient as he drew a chokuto from its sheath on his back and ran towards me for an attack. "Kasumi nee-chan!" Naruto called as I started to try and dodge the attack, but faltered, almost falling to the ground.

"Kit! You'll pay you bastard! Prepare to be sent to hell, you piece of shit! No one tries to murder someone under my protection and gets away with it." Kyuu-nii spat at him as I looked up to see naruto holding me and glaring at sasuke. "I almost agree with kyuubi ttebayo." Naruto growled. I got up from naruto's holding on me, and started walking towards my clothes, not wanting to be naked longer than I have to. "Naruto, next time, let me fall and toss me my clothes! We don't need to keep ending up in awkward situations where I'm clothing less and you're present dattebane!" I yelled as I quickly pulled my clothes back on and sent a surge of chakra to call my bow to me. "It's been a while hasn't it kasumi? Still hoping to save me and salvage what might be left of our so-called love?" Sasuke raved and spat the last three words which made kyuubi-nii growl and close his eyes in anger, trying not to kill the person they were ordered to bring back alive.

"Kits, if tsunade hadn't given us a live capture order…he'd have been dead the moment he opened his mouth against even one of us!" he spat, rounding on the unsuspecting sasuke making him jump back to dodge several feet. "Sasuke, stop this! Let's go home already! Everyone in konoha is waiting for you ttebayo." Naruto pleaded, slowly walking towards him. But sasuke narrowed his eyes and took a battle stance, throwing lightning charged shuriken at him. "Priestess Style Sage Art: divine barrier level 0!" I called as the shuriken left his hands and neared naruto, then landed against a thin, black transparent wall. "Sasuke! Stop this and just come home ttebane!" I yelled as he threw kunai at the shield. "Please, come home ttebayo." Naruto called as I dispelled the barrier and drew my bow, calling forth some of the poison I had stored that was once part of kyuu-nii's chakra, and aimed for his heart; shoot to kill being the objective (threat).

"I've wasted enough time on you two. No matter how hard you try to 'save me' I'll never listen." Sasuke recited, devoid of every emotion except contempt. "Sasuke, you don't understand! Orochimaru is using you! He wants to take over your body, and we're not going to let that happen! And neither should you ttebayo/ttebane!" naruto and I cried simultaneously, trying to reach our friend/love. "I don't care. As long as I get my revenge against itachi, I'll give him my life a thousand times over." He droned as if the answer was obvious. "Forgive me, my son. I promised I would respect your wish but he is almost too far gone to reach. And forgive me mikoto; I failed to save your boy." I whispered as I also cried mentally to myself as my tears spilled over and gave sasuke a look of distant, yet pure care and love laced with nostalgia.

I released my arrow as I felt his presence start to fade as he was preparing to leave, it landing in his shoulder, five inches up from his heart, it missing from the tears I have been crying. "The next time I see you, I WILL kill you." He spat as he faded away, the venom and hatred finally reaching me, making me cough up blood as he left. "Kasu-nee! What's wrong?! What did he do to you?! Kyuu-nii we need to-"

"Mou ii naruto. She only needs a few minutes to recover." He reassured him as I went through a another small bout of coughing, more blood leaving me, but less this time, as the hatred was being purified by kyuu-nii. "Yeah, but what happened to her ttebayo?!" He exasperated, placing a hand gently on my back. "The hatred sasuke had around him was so great that due to kasumi's sensitivity to evil, she was being corrupted. Now, normally, when a priestess is corrupted, they only need to purify themselves again but being my host of the darkest parts of my chakra even when it's purified, and being in love with the source of the evil, she goes through pain and internal bleeding similar to pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure."

Kyuu-nii distractedly drawled out as he tended to me medically. "In love with sasuke? How? She just met him!" naruto questioned looking at me for answers. "Well, you see, naruto, I knew sasuke before I knew about you and coming from konoha." I sighed tiredly as I began to recant my meeting him.

Flashback no jutsu:

_'stupid shishou! Sending me out alone to deal with a weasel demon! They're such a pain to purify it's not funny ttebane!' I internally raved as I cast out my senses like a net, looking for said weasel. 'Who in kami is this?' I asked as my senses 'sniffed' out a human boy's chakra that was wounded and in slight darkness.__Kit, I think we should avoid this one. He smells like trouble.__'Oh hush kyuu-nii! He needs our help! Human first, weasel second ttebane' I retorted, to which kyuu-nii snorted at the reply I had given._

_You just don't want to deal with a weasel hunt and you know it__. He half-laughed to himself and to me as I jumped from branch to branch, nearing the wounded, dark chakra. 'We're here.' I noted as I jumped down from the trees to offer my assistance to the boy. "Who are you and why are you so close to the village?" the boy asked as I looked up to survey my 'patient'. He was thirteen, same age as me and he had short black duck-butt style hair, charcoal colored eyes, pale skin, wearing a blue high-collar shirt with a red and white family crest and white shorts with battle-silk arm and leg guards accompanied by blue sandals and a blue hitai-ite. "Not much of something to look at are you?" I drawled, bored at the boy in front of me. "Hn. Says the one who came looking for me. And what kind of weird person has white hair at your age anyway?" he smugly retorted in an attempt to put me down._

_"Not much of a ninja are you teme? Hell, I bet you ninja couldn't last one day in a preistess' place ttebane!" I shot back as a look of surprise slightly overtook his face. "What did you say?" he asked slowly as if I was an alien. "I said you couldn't last one day in a-"_

_"No, after that; That verbal tic of yours. What was it?" he drawled making me look as if I was stupid. "You heard me teme! No come over here so I can kick your ass! And in case you don't know, it's a born-with habit and extremely rude to point one out to someone ttebane! It's like you have no manners at all. I may not have parents but even I know better dattebane!" I lividly raved as I knocked him back in his place- lower than me. "Now if I could just heal you and be gone already, I have a weasel demon to hunt, catch, AND THEN purify ttebane!" I bit out slowly as I walked over to him and took hold of his left arm, removing the arm guard slowly to get a look at the injury._

_"Huh. You're that desperate huh? Look kid, -yeah, I'm callin' 'ya kid 'cause 'ya haven't seen what I have ttebane, - 'ya shouldn't do this to yourself no matter what you've been through. It's a good thing I showed up or you'd have bled to death by that main artery you've shredded to bits ttebane." I muttered half to myself as a summoned pure healing chakra to his arm, staving off the bleeding and healing his shredded vein. "It's none of your business no matter how you look at it." He hissed as I put a little battle chakra in with the healing mixture, trying to remind him who's in control here. "Whatever. I'm not going to ignore my duty and leave you out here with your life on my head ttebane." I countered as I patched the remainder of the vein with pure healing chakra. "Look, I'm sorry okay? In fact meet me at my family's old training compound about three miles out south-west on the next moon rise and I'll make up for it with a sparring match or something, okay?"_

_he sighed as I finished my ministrations on his arm. "Now, what makes you think a sparring match will make up for it? Especially when you could plot to kill me or turn me in to your village as an imprisoned resource?" I purred amusedly at him. "Because, kitsune-chan, you're the type to like fighting with friends and because I find you very- interesting…" he smirked at me. "Well either that or you're more of a perv than you think you are ttebane. Now, please, stop staring at my chest ttebane!" I yelled the last part as he realized his staring and looked away, blushing. "Whatever, no I'm not." He stammered blushing harder. "Yeah, sure thing…umm what's your name ttebane?" I asked curiosity getting to me slightly. "I-it's uhh…Sasuke! It's sasuke uchiha….and? What's your name kitsune-chan?" he asked, smoothing out his tone in a subconscious effort to be cool and sexy. "Hn. It's kasumi…..Kasumi Uzumaki." I replied slightly lowering my voice in an effort to show authority and power._

_"Uzumaki, huh?" He said lowering his voice in thought. "Yeah! And uh, about the hair thing; if I, uh, get my shishou's approval and we come by your training grounds-"_

_"You mean STAY at my training grounds." I laughed and nodded at his cute insistence. "Yeah, stay at the training grounds, I'll tell you about it ttebane." I sniggered slightly and turned to leave. "Now, why do you think I'd care about that trivia?" he asked trying to mask his curiosity loftily. "Because, I think I owe the guy that's got a crush on me that much ttebane." I smiled foxily at him as he blushed crimson. "Whatever. So I'll see you soon. Have fun with that weasel demon." He called as I made my way out of the clearing. "Yeah, see 'ya ttebane."_

"That's how I met sasuke. Shishou accepted the offer, and soon before we knew it sasuke and I had fallen in love and the darkness around him had started to disappear around him. Shishou had started training me at the grounds with sasuke and started to go to the civilian villages nearby to work in purifying during the festivals and was on demon patrol for them as well. But, one night, she came home drunk.

_"Kasumi! Get your ass out here you demon-brat!" I was jarred out of sleep by her hatred and call that filled the compound. I padded out of the dojo and made my way over to her to see what the matter was. "What is it, kikyo-shoshou? Is something wro-" I was cut off as I smack echoed across the compound and I raised a hand to my stinging cheek but was un prepared for the punch to follow, that knocked me across the compound and into the concrete wall. "AHH!" I yelped in pain as blood was coughed out of my mouth at the yelp. "I didn't know demons like you could feel pain." She lividly raved as she continued her onslaught of punches, kicks, and pulls at my hair. "Shishou, please, stop! Why are you doing this? Don't you love me?" I wailed desperately as she hit me harder at my crying. "Who could EVER love a little demon bitch like you?! I've hated you ever since you took kushina and minato away from me! I wish you had never been born you worthless demon bitch!"_

_she screamed as I cried harder at her words. "Please, stop! I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorr-" I was cut off again as she landed a good punch to my stomach that made me cough up more blood as I flew across the compound to land against the other concrete wall, then the ground. 'I'm sorry shishou, I'm sorry! Someone, please, anyone! Help me!' I screamed internally, in too much pain to voice my pleading thoughts for mercy and a rescuer.__KIT! DON'T WORRY KIT! I WON'T LET HER TAKE YOU FROM THIS WORLD OR ME!__I heard the voice scream in panicked concern and fury as I faded in and out of consciousness.__KIT! NO KIT PLEASE, NO! KAMI SAVE HER! PURIFY ME OR SEND ME TO HELL FOR HER SAKE, JUST PLEASE, SAVE HER!__I heard the crying voice as I drifted out of consciousness for what I thought would be the last time, until I saw a bright light engulf me and eradicate the darkness._

_'Kasumi. I have heard you and the hell-spirit you jail. I will save you from this death and grant you the strength to carry on.' The soothing voice assured me as I knelt on my knees to kami. 'I owe you my life. Thank you kami. I will purify this….kyuubi and save those within my power and yours to save. Thank-you for your grace.' I said, fading to a peaceful sleep, feeling my wounds heal as I slip into the sleep I now knew that would not claim my life.__Thank you kami, for saving my kit; my precious kit. I will let you purify me. May kami have mercy on me when I disappear from this world.__The next morning I woke to sasuke and a red-headed man looking over my injuries. "Kyuubi, please tell me she's fine! From what you said kami saved her! Why won't she wake up?" I faded back into consciousness after the night's sleep released me as sasuke's panicked voice reached my ears and tugged fiercely at my heart._

_"Sasuke-koi, I'm right here…. It's all right….I'm not going anywhere ttebane." I murmured softly and slightly groggily as I reached a hand up to cup his cheek. Tears slid down his face in relief and I used my thumb to wipe away the sorrow. "I love you. I will thank kami every day as long as you breathe I love you my red thread of fate." He cried holding me close.__Kit! Oh, my kit! Thank kami you woke up…. I mean it, you're gonna purify me as soon as you're able so you will save others without fear of my chakra's corruption!__Kyuubi sobbed as he hugged me and sasuke._

"After I had explained what happened to sasuke and my status with kyuubi who became the kyuu-nii we know and love, he was enraged about my shishou and wanted me to leave her; but how could I? She had loved me 'first' (as in the first human to love me) and I owed her my life for raising me. So despite sasuke and kyuu's wishes, I stayed. As I stayed with her I learned that she remembered nothing of her assaults on me the next day, as if she was a different person at night. Then the nightmares started soon after the fourth time she beat me, with no resistance on my part, and kyuu-nii's abandoned poison that was removed from his chakra, as it had been stored away in my body separate from kyuu and me for use in combat after I purified him. It was after that, kyuu-nii and sasuke had decided to use a sound-proof barrier to hide my screams from kikyo-shishou and soon after, sasuke's active sharingan to help soothe my nightmares.

_"Kyuu help me hold her down until she wakes up! We've got ten minutes till sunrise I can't hold her by myself!" sasuke called as he held my thrashing, crying, bleeding and screaming form down, hoping kyuu-nii would manifest again from trying to internally subdue the dream.__You've got it kit! I'm coming now!__He called as he took physical form and held my arms and legs down by using his tails. "I'm going to try the sharingan again so hold her still!" sasuke informed as he grabbed my hair gently and pressed our foreheads lightly together; so as to enter my mind.__Be careful gaki__kyuu-nii called as he went under.__Damn it!__He cursed as a wound appeared on my chest bleeding vehemently.__'Four more minutes….come on kit! You can make it!__He prayed as he healed my chest wound, using the tails he had free as he ran his hand through my snow white hair for the remaining four minutes._

_Thank kami for the sunrise!__He rejoiced as sasuke came to and he released me from his tails' grip and my screaming subsided.__Are you okay, brat?__He inquired as sasuke sat up hugging me and leaning my waking form on his chest. "Yeah, thank kami I was able to keep her at bay until sunrise dattedana." He sighed and then blushed at the verbal tic's slip up.__Dattedana huh?__Kyuu lightly teased as sasuke blushed at his slip-up. "When you're me and have been around naruto and kasumi long enough, you develop a similar verbal tic out of an instinctual and subconscious desire to adapt ttedana. So please don't tell them. I'll tell them eventually, I promise." He assured and closed the subject as I began to stir. "Ohaiyo kasu-koi." He gently whispered as I came to, stroking my cheek before brushing some of my hair out of my face, and kissed me lightly on the forehead._

"I think it was the day after that he became distant and surrounded by darkness more and more every day I saw him. It wasn't long after that he left me, kyuu and kikyo-shishou for the last time. The last two good acts he did for me was let shishou and I stay at the grounds as us now owning them, and a good-bye kiss that I guess even he forgot about with time and orochimaru.

_'Sasuke, I'll never forget you, leave you, or let you fall to hell. I WILL save you. I will always love you, but until the day I save you, my red hair, the threads of fate you hold so dear will no longer exist without you.'__Kit, are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to give up the color you love the most for that, that_traitor_?__He asked sadness and pure venom in his voice at the one who left me broken. 'Yeah, I'm sure. This way, I'll have something that resembles peace of mind ttebane.' I sighed as I made the hand seals for the color seal that would double as a chakra filter._

_ "Ninja art, Uzumaki style: color draining chakra filter!" I sobbed as I flared the priestess, kyuubi and sage chakra and directed the color and filter seal to the top of my left breast. "AHH! ITAI TTEBANE!"I yelped as the seal flared and appeared on my skin, color flowing it into it as my hair turned white, like liquid being poured into a fish bowl, then settled down to leave the surrounding skin an angry pink hue that quickly faded due to kyuu-nii._

_"There. That should mix my natural chakra with my priestess sage, and your chakra, then channel it safely back to our networks kyuu-nii." I explained as I picked up the bow shishou had made me the other day.__Alright, let's go kit. We have chakra to mix and stabilize. But be careful, I don't think you should push yourself too hard yet. You don't want to out strain on the seal and have it break__. Kyuu-nii gently lectured as he out an arm over his shoulders to balance me out. "Right, let's go, shishou's waiting ttebane." I agreed as I jumped into the tree to meet her at the town we were to cleanse, my snow-white hair flowing behind as I jumped from tree to tree_

_**A/N: ohaiyo minna! yeah, sorry it's been awhile but i was working on this for a well, while and i think it turned out okay for a muse-starved, writer's block-on-full-blast chapter...i might edit the sasuke encounter to make it better but otherwise i'm happy with it...somewhat...anyway...enough rambling...Review onegai ttebane! so please leave your compliments, complaints, flames (that will be fed to manda) and praises after the imaginary beep! Ja Ne! ^^**_

_**P.S...I UPDATED THE CHAPPIES AFTER MINOR DETAIL REVISION. HONTOUNI GOMENNASAI TO THOSE WHO THOUGHT I UPLOADED THE FOURTH CHAPPIE...WHICH I AM TYPING AND WHATNOT AS I UPDATE THIS...**_


	4. Chapter 4

"And that's basically the story…except the night he left; I'll tell that story later. For now, we should head home ttebane." I sighed as we stood up, grabbed our backpacks I grabbed my bow and we headed home. "Ne, kasumi-nee I heard you talking about a son under your breath. Who is he? Why didn't he come to the village with you, or mention him?" naruto interrogated me, making me slightly nervous on how he would react to who he is. "Well he's-"

"Kaa-chan!" I heard the familiar and out of character shout from a few meters away as a seal on my forearm appeared with a name on it. "Kaa-chan? Itachi is the son you were referring to?! Care to fill me in because I'm completely lost dattebayo!" naruto shouted as itachi ran over to me and tackled me into a hug. "Naruto-kun, I know this is very confusing for you, but in a way, she's like a mother to me." Itachi explained while releasing me from his death grip hug. "That doesn't explain what the hell's going on ttebayo!" naruto raved as itachi stepped behind me. "Why don't I start from the beginning?" I said sighing as I motioned to naruto to sit down.

**Flashback no Jutsu:**

_"Damn you shishou! Why am I STILL going after weasel demons?" I complained as I jumped from tree to tree, my snow white hair flying lightly behind me. "It's like she knows they're the ones I hate the most! Honestly! I JUST finished my sage training too. Why can't I go to Mount __Myōboku to finish my training like a NORMAL sage for once?" I ranted as I closed in on the demon's chakra signature I've been tracking. 'Oh well at least they're easier to find now that I've had more training ttebane.' I thought as I jumped down to the forest floor. "Excuse me! Can you see me?" a voice called as I landed, guard up for a fight, but saw a ghost instead of an unknown shinobi or demon. "How can I help you miss?" I asked, concern heavy in my voice, laced with panic as I realized she had not passed on for a few years, and is in danger of becoming a demon at any moment if she did not pass over soon._

_ "Yes! My son! But first, tell me your name because, you look very familiar." She exasperated in slight panic. "Kasumi. Uzumaki Kasumi dattebane." I stated briskly yet politely as I awaited her answer. "Uzumaki, huh? Well kasumi-chan, I need you to look after my son itachi uchiha. He left our village on a second part of a mission after completing the first part: killing our clan before they could wage war on our kage. Now that he has been missing for three or so years I fear for his safety. You see, he has pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure related to a chakra virus, and grows worse with every month that passes. I wish for you, an Uzumaki, because of your clan's fuuin, longevity, and special and huge chakra reserves to look after and adopt my son. Please you're my only hope. All of the other uzumaki either can't see me or haven't gained your clan's abilities!"_

_ she pleaded to me as she started to fade away. I looked into her eyes and saw a fragile hope, a heavy despair and an everlasting trust that I would do what was best, and sighed in sad memory as I watched her fade. "Of course I will, mikoto-chan. Tell my mom I said I love her dattebane!" I lightly sobbed as she hugged me before fading away to leave for heaven. "Of course I will. And kasumi..." she breathed. "Yes?" I sobbed. "Arigatou; Hontouni arigatou." She whispered as she faded and her sprit ascended to heaven. "Goodbye, kaa-san." I heard the faint whisper of a low voice and felt a chakra faintly similar to mikoto's yet, this one was ravaged by illness. 'itachi.' I thought as I heard him step out from behind the trees and look at me with curiosity and loss. "I'm sorry for your loss ttebane." I choked as I was bombarded by his sickly aura and pale color._

_ "You've been through so much and you're only seventeen. You poor boy. If you've heard your kaa-san before she left, will you accept my being your kaa-chan? I don't know if I can, but I'll give you everything I can to help you…..son…" I choked lightly as I noticed the tears in his eyes started to fall. 'Probably the most he's ever shed in a long time despite the pain. This boy- no my son must have been through so much.' I mentally sobbed as he ran over to me and hugged me, crying. "K-kaa-chan…" he whispered between sobs. "Yes 'tachi?" I whispered gently back. "Arigatou. Hontouni arigatou." He sobbed lightly before calming down some more. "Come on. Let's go and get out of the coming downpour. We'll talk from there after you've calmed down ttebane." I soothed as I created a clone to go after the demon, helped him up and walked away towards the training grounds where shishou and I resided._

_**Flashback no Jutsu, Kai! **_

"Ever since then, I've looked after him and tried to ease the chakra disease but with little success ttebane." I sighed sadly as I admitted my failed attempts. "Well, that doesn't explain why I should trust him and not tell baa-chan ttebayo!" he exasperated. "Well let's start at the beginning, the day he was given the mission that sent him to hell ttebane. You should know that the uchiha had been ostracized from the village and treated unfairly by some of the village because the rumor- no the strongly believed rumor was that an uchiha was the reason why kyuu-nii attacked the village, that they had someone controlling kyuu-nii. As a result, the felt they were being ignored their rightful place of hierarchy and planned a coup to 'take what was theirs.' The old man fought the council to negotiate with the uchiha and prevent the coup. However, danzo had said time was out and given the mission. Itachi had feared for sasuke's safety and was concerned about danzo taking sasuke. Not only that but had taken advantage of his pacifism and desire to protect konoha to make sure he did take the mission. Before he took the mission, itachi had gone to the sandaime and asked that he look after sasuke. When the old man gave his word to look after him and itachi left the village, he joined the Akatsuki to spy on them and has been sending jiraiya's spy network any information he can spare without getting caught ttebane."

I explained as naruto listened on with wide eyes. "And before you ask, I have seen the mission file myself…danzo was foolish enough to keep it as a trophy of sorts." Kyuu-nii provided helpfully, his voice filled with sorrow at itachi's actions. "I-I kasumi-nee…why didn't you tell anyone?! You could've told baa-chan! He could be home getting cured and sasuke would be home as well ttebayo! Do you know how much lonely sadness I had when sasuke left? He was like a brother to me; one of the few people who was like us!" naruto shouted as his eyes turned purple. "You should have-"

"I know! I…I know…how do you think I feel?! I LOVED HIM naruto! He was everything to me when shishou would come after me and kyuu-nii couldn't manifest himself on some nights! He was there when no other human was! And no, kyuu-nii doesn't count because he's a spirit and was always there!" I sobbed. "Kit, you need to calm down! Your seal is going to-" As my anger got the better of me, I could feel the seal on my chest weaken under the poison's rage, for I hadn't renewed the sealing formula lately. "If I had my way no one would suffer, but life doesn't always work like that and I found out the hard way!" I sobbed and screamed at him and interrupted kyuu-nii as my color and filter seal broke and my hair, at the mention of sasuke with his lingering presence brought it to its full blood red Uzumaki Clan glory.

"Kaa-chan!" itachi called out, stopping naruto's retort before it hit the air, and catching me as I collapsed at the sudden loss of chakra balance and the regain of color. 'Oh, kami no! This is going to be more painful than hell!' I mentally sobbed and accidentally made it to where naruto heard me. "Kasu-nee! What happened to you ttebayo?!" he frantically fretted as soon as he heard me. "If I'm not mistaken…." Itachi hissed angrily as he took out a kunai and tore at my jacket and mesh shirt to check my seal. "What the hell are you-"

"Her seal gave way. The color seal keeping her uzumaki red hair that sasuke loved so much is no longer in place. Not only that, but, since the seal was a filter and mixer to keep the chakras in balance and it's now gone, the chakras are now unbalanced and fighting for control in part of her network and are attacking her pain sensory nerves." Kyuu-nii rattled off angrily as he glared at naruto. "How? I thought seals couldn't break so easily!" naruto cried in alarm. "Well, yes, but sometimes depending on the stress they go through they may need to be tightened or adjusted to a stronger formula. By the remnants of the seal, she should have been fine for two more weeks or so if she didn't get enraged or depressed and put strain on her networks. However…that's apparently not the case tonight." He sighed as naruto's eyes widened.

"I-it's…all…my fault….I put the enraged AND depression strain on her…." Naruto whispered as he saw me writhing in pain in itachi's arms, only vaguely catching bits of their conversation, but snapped to focus as soon as he blamed himself. "Its fine naru….you didn't know, so it's not your fault; please don't blame yourself ttebane." I gasped as a wave of pain overcame me as kyuu-nii was creating a new stronger seal as fast as possible. "I don't care what you say…I know it is ttebayo. I really am sorry nee-chan kyuu-nii, itachi. It's just that…this is a lot to take in ya' know. I mean one minute he's a murderer the next he's innocent and clan annihilation was his mission…" he sighed thoughtfully as his mind started to fill in the blanks on itachi's story. "Well, I needed to have that seal replaced with a better one instead of a two year old jerry-rigged formula combination that could dissipate any day anyway ttebane."

I assured as kyuu-nii was finishing the seal with itachi's assistance. "Yeah, I'm sorry for causing trouble, but I had to make sure she was okay when I felt her chakra spike." Itachi apologized as he helped. "It's….fine ttebayo…you just wanted to see your kaa-chan and there's nothing wrong with that…but it's still weird considering your older." He said, accepting the apology. "Well naru, I look at forty year-olds as kids because I grew up at five by seeing the world that hardly anyone does, and compared to me and even you, mentally, even pervy-sage is still a kid. Itachi knows this so he doesn't think it's weird to call me kaa-chan since I'm 'older' mentally ttebane." I explained as I hissed in pain at the seal being set. "I don't exactly want to leave but I have to or they will suspect something. I have that Intel on the Akatsuki for jiraiya-sama as usual. Give him my regards."

He said as he tossed naruto a scroll and then shunshined away. Afterwards I looked to the 'new' seal on my chest, noting my hair was no longer red, but pure white again and I was marveling the elaborate tribal pattern to the uzumaki clan insignia as the color from my hair was still moving like water in the seal. "Ano, kasu-nee…here…wear this ttebayo." Naruto said blushing as he tossed me his jacket. "I've tried before and it doesn't fit ttebane. I'll just use the spare jacket and shirt I brought along in a storage scroll." I said taking out the scroll and then unsealing the jacket and shirt, replacing them with the torn ones. "Now, let's get this Intel to pervy-sage ttebane."

"Clearly, we are going to be talking for quite a while ttebayo." He sighed as he helped me up and followed kyuu into the trees to make our way home. "Yeah, but this meeting and information on itachi's mission stays between us and us alone dattebane! Baa-chan will be told, but itachi wants to finish his mission and be there for sasuke….even till the end…you understand, right?" I asked solemnly as we made our way through the trees. "Yeah, 'safety-of-the-mission' and all….I just wish there was something we could do for him ttebayo." He sighed sadly. "The best thing we can do is stand by his side and help him through his illness until he gets to sasuke gets to him." Kyuu-nii told him as we neared the gates. "I know. I guess we could see him during our missions or in between them. Hell, I bet we could use that training grounds you lived at- if that's okay."

He pointed out as we jumped down from the trees and into the village. "Yeah, we can. For now, though, let's deliver this report to baa-chan and go home ttebane; and when we get there I'll tell you about our clan's history and their involvement with the uchiha clan." I offered, hoping that the knowledge would make understanding sasuke easier. "Sure! But after you tell me more accurately about itachi's story and their clan ttebayo." He tried to counter. "Well, the uzu-uchiha story is just as equally important and it'll help with your understanding itachi's story so I'll tell the clan's first, then itachi's with kasumi." kyuu retorted as we made our way to the hokage tower to see baa-chan. "Right, let's deliver this report ttebane."

_**A/N: Hello! i know that this chappie is WAY shorter than normal, but i thought it would be a good place to leave off as a little cliffy of sorts or something like that...anyway...let me know what you think, because i honestly don't like how it turned out and i'm probably going to rewrite a little bit of this even thought this was a good opportunity to introduce naruto to itachi as kasumi's adoptive 'son'. and yeah, i know he was ooc, but he's the only one who he can let his guard down around so if she were his 'mom', of course he would be ooc. review to let me know if i should explain the history of the uzumaki and uchiha clan's relationship...because i have a killer idea about their eyesight being sealed away AND jinchurriki too. and yeah, i've implied that kasumi knows who she is. and she does! she knows about her parents and naruto, but understands that she can't return until she finishes training.  
**_

_**Arigatou for letting me ramble, -kasumi-chan**_


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